Steve Nashama
Susanna Nakale an ex resident of Onamulunga Village, in Onethindi says she was left heartbroken after the Oniipa Town Council reportedly deceived her into leaving her omahangu field with a compensation of N$ 100 000 and a false promise of two plots, which she now claims she is entitled to, as per the compensation Policy Guidelines for Communal Land. The policy states that a person who’s affected as a land owner may receive two residential erven measuring at least 500m2 in size free of charge allocated in their name.
Nakale says that although she was paid N$ 100 000, she did not receive the two plots she says she is entitled to.
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) wrote a letter to Oniipa Town Council in which it lay down Nakale’s complaints.
In the letter, LPM threatened to take “surprising” unspecified actions against the the Town Council if it fails to follow the right procedures, based on the compensation policy quidelines or fails to allocate Nakale with two erven.
In an interview, Nakale indicated that three of her neighbours were compensated and allocated two erven each, while she was only compensated and not allocated any piece of land.
Nakale said she was removed from her mahangu field in December 2017 after 37 years of her being there.
“My field with big food productive trees was the biggest amongst all the people compensated. My house house had electricity and water. Now the council wants to give me N$100,000 which is little. It cannot happen, I want my two plots,” she said.
Nakale indicated houses and business entities have now been constructed in her Mahangu field while she and her children continue to suffer, buying food and mahangu flour from shops.
She alleges that the Council removed her to put their friends and businesses.
Nakale is currently located at Olukonda, where she says she is unable to cultivate mahangu.
She also added that the office of the Ombudsman has responded to her letter of complaint, but said they could not intervene since she signed the compensation documents already.
The Anti-corruption Commission did not respond, she added.
“Is it because I am poor and a widow? I should not be treated this way. I need my plots,” she expressed.
Efforts to get comment from the Oniipa Town Council proved futile.
